Could Thor be an acting buddy of Kenneth Branagh's?

Kenneth Branagh has been speaking to IGN about the Thor movie’s development. Filming will begin in January of next year.

The gap in time between now and January means that Branagh can work on his TV series “Wallander,” based on the Henning Mankell series of novels about an existentialist police inspector. Branagh plays the titular Wallander alongside Tom Hiddleston, an actor who may or may not be donning the winged helmet for Marvel’s “Thor.”

“Tom Hiddleston is a great actor and he, amongst a number of others, has been part of the group we’ve spoken to and all that’s still a work in progress,” Branagh said of his “Wallander” co-star’s chances of playing Thor.

Other contenders to play the Norse God of Thunder have been Alexander Skarsgård, Charlie Hunnam, Kevin McKidd and Josh Hartnett. However, Josh was mooted to be playing Loki (but that could possibly be being played by Natalie Portman).

I've not seen Wallender so not sure what Hiddleston is like and whether he would be good as Thor. He doesn't seem physically big enough to play him, but I could see him as Dr Blake, Thor's alter ego. Personally, I'd like to see McKidd play Thor as he just has the right look.

What do you feel about the possibility of Hiddleston playing Thor? If not him who would you want to see?

Leave a comment on this post below.

HOME

UPDATED: Natalie Portman may be the female lead in Thor - Could she be Loki?

There has been quite a bit of movement recently on the Marvel Studios' Thor film. It is being directed by Kenneth Branagh but the recent news has been on who will play Thor. S

Nikki Finke has posted a few names who have tested for the part of Thor and / or Loki.Josh Hartnett was rumoured to play the big bad Loki, but what if he was also testing for Thor? I don't think he has got the charisma needed to carry off the part of the Thunder God, neither does he have the slyness needed for Loki. Although his turn on stage as Iago in Othello is meant to be the reason why Branagh spoke to him. If that is the case then Iago and Loki have pretty much the same relationship with the respective leads.

Nikki then goes on to list other, lesser known actors, who have tested for the lead role - Charlie Hunnam (the British co-star of the F/X series Sons Of Anarchy); Tom Hiddleston (award-winning British actor and RADA graduate who played Winston Churchill's son in HBO's The Gathering Storm), Alexandar Skarsgard (Stellan's son who has appeared in the HBO Iraq War miniseries Generation Kill and vampire drama True Blood, and who's definitely visually right for the role), Liam Hemsworth (offered a significant role in The Expendables after Sly Stallone saw his tape), and Joel Kinnaman (some Swedish-American dude).

That's all well and good about Thor, but there is a small part of the post that mentions Natalie Portman is in the lead for the female lead. In my mind this is a bit out of left field.

This Thor film is meant to follow the early years of Thor in Asgard so I assume Natalie, if she is cast, would be playing either Amora the Enchantress (who is one of Thor's rogues gallery) or Sif, Thor's wife (in the middle image above she certainly has Portman's look). The final option could possibly someone on Earth. Maybe Jane Foster, a nurse who helps Dr Donald Black (Thor's alter ego).

I personally think it will be the part of Sif (which could be a rebrand of Cif which was rebrand of Jif...damn you SyFy for confusing me), purely based on the fact the film will mainly be set in Asgard and Sif has dark hair. Not a precise reason but at least it is a reason.

Do you feel Natalie Portman will be good as the female lead in Thor? Out of the actors mentioned who would be the best Thor or is there someone not on the list who should play the part?

UPDATE: I totally forgot that in the recent Thor reboot, Loki had decided to take the form of a woman (in the picture on the left). Could Natalie Portman possibly be down to play the Trickster God?

HOME - Discuss in the Forum

Favreau to direct The Avengers, Alexander and Stellan Skarsgard as Thor and Odin and news on Daredevil and The Fantastic Four

AICN have a source on the inside who has the following news about various Marvel films. I really like the fact that a father and son may be playing a father and son in Thor and Favreau directing The Avengers is great news. It will bring a lot of consistency into the big screen Marvel Universe. That also explains the recent shuffling around of the various release dates for the films. Fingers crossed that most of these things actually happen. Still not sure about Hartnett as Loki though.

-Avengers is delayed a year because of financing issues but also because the plan is for Favreau to helm it. Everybody here loves the guy and he wants to do it, but it would have been impossible for him to do before the date change given his Iron Man 2 commitments. Also partly the reason why he agreed to do the Stark sequel on such an accelerated schedule was so he could get given first dibs on this. It would still be a punishing schedule for him, so hes not firmly confirmed yet, but he is certainly the presumptive director at this point.

- Iron Man starts rehearsals in a few days, which is why the casting is finally coming together so quickly.

-Alexander Skargard is indeed Branagh’s favorite to play Thor as some sites are reporting. If all goes well and it happens then we hope to get Stellan Skarsgard for Odin (though at present Odin is only a very small cameo part in this movie).

-Loki will probably be played by Hartnett, if his pay negotiations work out. All the commentary about him wanting to do a Ledger and play a villain is B.S. though – WE APPROACHED HARTNETT because Branagh’s a big fan of the Othello adaptation O where Hartnett played Iago who is very similar character wise to how he sees Loki.

- Fox is serious about doing remakes of Daredevil and FF. They have to make new movies with these characters every few years because otherwise the options will revert to us. This point is kinda obvious but Im not sure people realise it –I haven't seen anybody pointing it out anywhere. The mood around here is pretty negative about Rothman’s potential to execute these properties properly, (Im sure you know why it might be particularly negative at the moment) but we are all hoping his recent promotion will mean hes kept away from direct control of these movies.

What are your thoughts on all that? Happy to hear Favreau could be directing The Avengers? Who would want to play Daredevil?

Leave a comment on this post below.

HOME - Discuss in the Forum

Loki - Arch Nemesis of Thor could be Josh Hartnett.

Yesterday it was mentioned that Alexander Skarsgard could be cast as Thor. Now news is coming out about who might be playing the Thunder-god's evil half-brother, Loki.

According to IESB.net, Josh Hartnett is currently on the short list to take on the role of the god of mischief and evil.

This is all very much a rumour although Hartnett has met with director Kenneth Branagh and both parties are interested in seeing if they can make it work.

In the comics, and mythology, Loki is Thor's adopted brother, and is actually a diminutive Frost Giant. Loki fancies himself the God of Mischief, but ultimately becomes the God of Evil. He has been Thor's longest running foe throughout the comics, and in mythology is supposed to be one of the key forces behind Ragnarok.

I think this is a bad, bad, bad idea to have Josh Hartnett as Loki. I just don't feel that he has the acting chops to pull off the intelligent, twisted, ruthless, machiavellian character of Loki.

Up until this point I hadn't even thought about who would play the other characters in the Marvel Studios film. Not sure who would be a good choice to portray Loki, Odin or the Warriors Three. Ron Perlman as Odin could be cool.

Any thoughts on who could play Loki or do you feel Josh Hatnett do the part justice?

Leave a comment on this post below.

HOME - Discuss in the Forum

Has Thor been cast? Just a rumour but you never know

Alexander Skarsgård played Meekus in Zoolander and starred in the TV show True Blood. He is also the son of the great actor Stellan Skarsgård. Why am I telling you this? Well the title of the post kind of gives it away. A rumour is gathering pace around the internet that he may be the Norse God of Thunder in Marvel Studio's Thor film to be directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Latino Review had discounted a previous rumour that he was down for the role, but today they received a tip that Thor director Kenneth Branagh was spotted having lunch with Skarsgård and a couple unrecognizable gentleman.

He certainly looks the part. Still very much a rumour though. How would you feel with Alexander as Thor if the rumour comes true?

HOME - Discuss in the Forum